Confessions of a Jetsetter w/ Amy Zhao

“North Korea is one of the most mysterious places on earth right now. The experience of going to North Korea has already been the best pick-up line of mine for months. Not only because it sounds intriguing in conversation, but also, it taught me a lot because I would never have believed there is still a country like this without actually getting into it. As a student who majors in politics, the concept of third wave democratization is deeply rooted in my mind. But, North Korea changed my idea and my whole concept of the world. The concept of political culture didn’t actually exist in North Korea because there is basically zero citizens’ participation in politics. Citizens accept the political facts and they are living under a relatively stable situation apart from the outside world. What they care about are their daily lives instead of political issues. As far as I could see, the life standards in North Korea are like those of the Chinese in the 1960s/1970s. But changes to their lifestyles and political systems are not as likely to happen. The more globalized the outside world becomes, the more insular North Korea chooses to be.”